LONDON: On the invitation of the Pakistan government, international observers are set to visit Pakistan to oversee the parliamentary elections in the South Asian nation scheduled for February 8. This includes numerous foreign journalists who have been granted visas to cover the polls.
The Pakistan caretaker government said that the issuance of visas reflects its commitment to ensuring the conduct of free and fair elections and adherence to the constitutional mandate.
The general elections in Pakistan on February 8 aim to facilitate a swift and democratic power transition, with state institutions steadfast in ensuring free and fair elections while upholding their roles within constitutional parameters, said a senior government official.
Visas for 37 Journalists Approved for Pakistan’s Elections
Simultaneously, the Pakistan High Commission in London has approved visas for 37 British journalists, including The Times’ Christina Lamb, for coverage of the forthcoming general elections. Notably, Lamb had faced deportation from Pakistan in the past and was subsequently denied visas over several years. Teams from prominent media outlets such as CNN, Sky, BBC, and ITV are also en route to Pakistan to cover the electoral proceedings.
The list includes 37 journalists from international media outlets that, include The Times, CBC, The Telegraph, CNN, Sky News, Foreign Policy Magazine, and BBC News, among others. The high commission said that their presence will contribute to ensuring the conduct of free and fair elections, aligning with the directives of the Pakistani government.
Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Murtaza Solangi mentioned on January 23 that 49 visas for Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi had been issued, with 32 requests still in process, citing delays caused by the manual visa system in India.
Furthermore, 174 requests for Accreditation Cards from the electoral authority for foreign media and their Pakistani staff have been processed, with applications from various countries, including the UK, Russia, Japan, South Africa, and the Commonwealth under the International Observers category.
Ambreen Jan, the Executive Director General for the External Publicity Wing at the Press Information Department, reported that visa applications for election coverage were received from 14 countries, with a total of 81 foreign journalists applying. Of these, 49 visas have been issued, and the remaining applications are under process. Additionally, there are 55 applications for International Election Observers.
